David Mach

(Scottish, born 1956)

David Mach is a Scottish artist best known for his sculptures and installations which often use found materials, such as hangers and playing cards. Most famous for his sculptures made from matchsticks, his work often refers to figures from history and popular culture, such as Gandhi, Betty Boop, and Charlie Chaplin. His theatrical yet universally relatable pieces are, in part, inspired by the work of the Pop Art movement—depicting everyday culture through everyday materials. “I don’t make work out of bronze,” said the artist of his work. “I’m doing it with this unlikely, naff material because coat hangers are something you don’t give a second thought to. It’s getting to another audience. You’re not talking to the guy who loves art; you’re trying to reach people who would rather set you on fire and chuck you in the river than pay attention to what you do.” Born on March 18, 1956 in Methil, United Kingdom, he studied at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design in Dundee and at the Royal Academy of Arts in London. In 1988, the artist was nominated for the Turner Prize for a string of critically acclaimed installations, however he did not win. The following year, he gained further attention for Out of Order, a public installation in which telephone booths were stacked on top of one another, resembling fallen dominos. Today, Mach’s works are in the collections of the National Galleries of Scotland, the National Portrait Gallery in London, and the McMaster Museum of Art in Hamilton, among others. He lives and works in London, UK.